Non Resident Indian
This was a cremation of a different kind
There were no tears and no cries
The household was blithe and gay
As they saw the mango seed buried away
Mother watered it with love and care
Children pulled the weeds around there
And like Jesus of yester years
The green life sprung from the grave
The girl dirtied her beautiful dress
Just to play with her floral friend
And the boy pricked himself all over
To give the little one a thorny cover
The tree grew and saw them grow
Overwhelmed by the love they showed
Resolved to give them its sweetest fruit
To show them its gratitude
But then it needed sunshine and warmth
So, slowly the branches grew
Towards where the sun shone most
Beyond the neighbor's dividing post
The saddest day of the tree
Was when it dropped its juiciest fruit
On the neighbor's car route.
(But its roots stood firmly where it should)
Oh tree, I empathize with thee
My heart is here but my soul is there
Among people and country I love
Beyond mountains and hills far, far away.
- Sujatha Ramprasad, California, USA
The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.
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